Cardiologist: Harbaugh likely had cardioversion performed

Dr. Matthew DeVane, a cardiologist based in Walnut Creek, said Jim Harbaugh “likely” had an electrical cardioversion performed at Stanford Hospital today to correct his irregular heartbeat.

The non-invasive, outpatient procedure takes less than a minute and a controlled electrical shock is used to reset the heart’s rhythm. Patients are able to resume normal activities the day after the procedure.

“About the only thing I can think of, and it’s very common, is that his heart probably went out of rhythm into something called atrial fibrillation, which is the most common abnormal heart rhythm,” said DeVane, who is the president of the East Bay Board of Directors for the American Heart Association. “And it can just cause the heart to race and flutter and can make you feel uncomfortable.

“It’s a minor procedure and, again, this is guesswork, but it’s called a cardioversion where we put the patient to sleep for just a few minutes and give the heart a little zap to try to re-set it back into a normal rhythm. It’s a very, very common procedure. It’s done on an outpatient basis. Usually people are home within two hours and ready to go the next day with no limitations or restrictions.”

DeVane said contributing factors for an irregular heartbeat include stress, lack of sleep and caffeine. Given his occupation, the logical question is how can the high-energy, workaholic Harbaugh, known for his Sunday sideline screaming, possibly avoid another episode?

Dr. Junaid Khan, a cardiac surgeon based in Oakland, said medication is often prescribed to prevent recurrences in patients with irregular heartbeats.

“You can’t tell someone to curl up in a ball,” DeVane said. “A lot of times, though, this can be an eye opener for people.”

Harbaugh’s procedure was minor enough for DeVane to joke about the potential cause.